(This is a re-post from Monday, July 16, 2007 since some of you do not use myspace, I am re-posting this here!) 

Yes, it was painful to watch but in the end after watching the game again (without objection) I could see Argentina's heart was not in it, they are going to have to get rid of a few players, bring on some new blood and try it again! I know Brazil is not THAT GOOD but when Argentina see's those yellow shirts, they seem to go into panic mode, which for some teams means WORK HARDER. For Argentina, it means run! They do not have the athleticism that Brazil does and while I am a die hard Argentina fan, I know that they have to want it, I guess they did not want it bad enough this time....hopefully they get it together for the qualifying game soon to come, after all I think with a few new players on the team they will finally get over the hurdle that is Brazil!

As to the players: Yes, Ayala messed up but the play was bad from the get go, Veron played like shit (as my bf put it "I don't seem to remember one of his passes actually connecting"), Abbondanzieri was not on his game (at least he was not faking injury like Brazil) and neither was Tevez, I just did not see anything from him as I normally would! Riquelme did not even seem to be there in my opinion....well not aside the one play where he tried for a goal only to have it strike the right post! And let's not even mention the fact that Heinze should have never seen as much of the ball as he did!! Messi did his best and though he seemed to have pulled back a goal for Argentina in the 2nd half, that was short lived as it was soon disallowed for offside. Hogging the ball he may have, but he was the only one IN THE GAME it seemed.

Summary:  They just did not play to their full potential, maybe another midfielder would have evened things out, maybe had Basile moved a few guys around or maybe if Baptista had not scored in the 5th min. into the game and further shattered what self-confidence was left in Argentina (which by the looks of things was not much) things would have, could have been different....

In Conclusion:  The slaughter was put on the shoulders of the young Messi, which is one of the best if not the best players to hit the field for Argentina since Maradona, however the weight of a team can not be put on the shoulders of a 20yo that is still fresh on the field.

This is jmtc but I think it is worth every penny.

- Bella